Comments on my draft floorplan?

14 years ago

Hi all,

Really enjoy this forum and have been reading/learning for a few weeks now. Here's a bit about me and my project:

I bought my Grandma's early 1900s 4-bedroom home last fall after her having owned it for 85 years. It is in great shape though fairly compact at about 1350 sq.ft between the two floors.

I cook frequently and have wanted to renovate the kitchen for some time and am now getting ready to go for it. I'm single so kids/pets etc are less of an issue for me, but in terms of the current layout and other needs in the house, budget is an important factor (seeing as I need to remove knob and tube and re-wire, and am considering blown insulation to brave Ottawa's chilly winters better). I've posted a couple of photos of the existing kitchen space here:

Links to a few photos of my kitchen

In terms of the kitchen space itself, things I'd like to see:

1. Counter space. Simply not enough, and not enough that's usable as prep space near a cooking surface.

2. Bigger Fridge. I don't know the cubic footage of the current fridge but let's just say it's tiny. I cook alot, and this isn't big enough for one person. I'd prefer something in the 21 cu.ft range in terms of size and bottom-mount seems to be a good option

3. Opennness to the dining room. I don't entertain as much as I'd like to in this house because there's nowhere for guests to gather when I'm in the kitchen, and my view to them is cut off by the wall btw kitchen and dining room. So I'd like to take down this wall and as you'll see am looking at floorplans with this wall gone. The dining room can spare 18" or more of its length for this and I've also figured on some penninsula seating (2-3) as well.

I'm not far enough along to know what the cost implications will be in bricking up the door here and building out a deck and new access to the porch. Fortunately I have a contractor friend to help with decking and the labour costs will be less than hiring someone.

Here's the latest draft of my floorplan:

So here are my questions

1. I have a screened-in porch off of the kitchen that I'm debating whether to keep current access to, or to build access to it through a new set of french doors in the dining room. My backyard is really underutilized so space isn't an issue here, and I'm thinking that this will give me the counter space that I need while also opening the dining room up. For discussion's sake though I've linked to a design where this door stays intact

2. I will add a 30" gas slide-in range and right now I've got the stove in the peninsula but have read here (and talked to a few appliance dealers) about the downsides to downdraft ranges. So for that reason I'm thinking a range and hood combo would be better. I do a fair bit of high heat cooking/stir-frying and wouldn't want to have insufficient draw.

I'm not planning/budgeting for separate cooktop and wall oven so either I'll move the range to another location, or look at the island hood option. Any ideas for alternate placement?

3. I've been looking at built-in configurations and my designer suggested a countertop microwave next to the fridge. I would prefer to keep counters free, and thought this could go elsewhere but...um..I don't know where!

Your general comments would of course be welcome. If I can provide more info/photos on anything let me know, and thanks in advance for your help!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (13)

swspitfire
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi
Cute looking space!
How about moving the stove wall down so the entrance to the DR and LR is more central across from the stairs and not through your kitchen.
That would make it more of a U shape.
There would be a corner cabinet between the sink and the stove which is not the best but maybe it could be accessed from the DR side. There is a closet (opens to DR) in your plan behind the rad which maybe could be used as a pantry and open into the new doorway to the DR and LR.
Then you could have a smaller pantry near the fridge/stairs and then more counterspace if the fridge moves down a bit.
You could also consider swapping the fridge and stove side. Then fridge is closer for guests and DR. And stove is on an outer wall, maybe easier for venting- no bends?
The deep stove counter is nice.
Good luck and I am sure the experts will be here soon!
remodelfla
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I"m in agreement with swspitfire. If you can, I'd move the opening down to the DR. I wouldn't want a thoroughfare to the DR in the middle of my work zone. However, if you want a half wall/overhang seating in the DR you can swap out the sink and cooking run. This is presuming windows are moveable. It is much easier, cheaper, and effective to vent on an outside wall. You could have your range, vent hood with windows on either side. You'd still get the natural light but would lose upper storage. It depends on what kind of look you like. I happen to like less uppers for a more streamlined uncluttered look. Sorry I don't have drawing capacity so I hope I'm making sense.
Related Discussions
Please help with first draft floorplans!
Q
Comments (10)
I'm having trouble reading the details on the plan, so I can't comment on everything, but here are my thoughts on what I can see: - The first thing that jumps out at me is that I hate the kitchen island. It's like the island is escaping from the kitchen! You have an important walkway running horizontally through the middle of the house, and the island is interrupting it. This will be a constant irritation. I'd make the kitchen into an L and turn the island the other direction. You can still have island seating. This'll echo the direction of the walkway and enhance it rather than being a problem. - I'd add an extra foot to the width of the pantry. You have storage on only one side of the long, narrow pantry, which means you have essentially the storage of a reach-in . . . but you're using the square footage of a walk-in. One extra foot would literally double the storage space in your pantry. I'd also consider adding a pass-through door to the kitchen. - I vote absolutely NO sunken anything. It's an accident waiting to happen. - You say you're looking for square footage to cut. I would cut off the sitting room behind the master bedroom and some of the master bedroom closet. You have an office and another room I can't identify right there by the master, so I think you have a spot for one adult to sit and do something while the other is sleeping -- this is space that you will never miss. And the closet, even with TV/accessories, is larger than some NY City studio apartments! The other thing I'd cut is the kids' playroom upstairs. They each have their own generous-sized rooms, and they have space a-plenty to hang out and play. - Having addressed your concerns about cutting square footage, I've gotta say that I'd consider adding some space to your great room. You have a large kitchen and dining area . . . and beside them, this great room looks like a pretty good room. - I lived in a house once that had a jack-and-jill closet, and it worked well. In our case, it was a walk-through closet with hanging space on each side. One room was a child's bedroom, while the other bedroom was a guest room. This arrangement allowed the child to have an extra-sized closet . . . yet if the guest room had ever become "someone's", a closet would've been available. And, of course, we kids loved to use it as a pass-through. - I'd consider losing your son's bathrooms' exterior door. The only people who would be upstairs would be the kids' friends, and they'd walk through the bedroom of their friend to reach the bathroom. It's not that large a bathroom, and two doors take up too much space. This post was edited by MrsPete on Sat, May 17, 14 at 7:40
...See More
Critique our second draft floorplan.
Q
Comments (19)
A few quick comments. Overall a decent plan. When you walk into the Master Bathroom, where is the light switch? The double doors looks like they will cover the available wall space for switches. Does not look like either door can really open all the way either before hitting a wall or a tub. The rear Covered Porch looks fairly shallow. I would think some more depth would make it far nicer and usable. The bathroom is really far away from the Bedrooms. For a 2,900 S.F. house I would have aimed for a jack and jill bathroom for 2 of the bedrooms, and then a single bath for the 3rd bedroom with access to the single bathroom from the Loft. Not having any walk-in closets in the bedrooms for a 2,900 S.F. house also seems a little odd. This comes down to personal preference, but a door to the uncovered portion of the deck from the Master would not get me too excited. Another access point into the house with direct exposure to the elements. Curious what the rear elevation looks like. I imagine that Breakfast Room roof is a pretty shallow slope to stay below the egress window of Bedroom # 2. Some good stuff happening in the plan too, I am just listing out the stuff I would look closely at, food for thought. Would love to see a front elevation just to see what look you are going for. Thanks for sharing your plan!
...See More
First draft floor plans - advice? critic on flow?
Q
Comments (25)
-to keep the main floor den open, or close it off as an office space Close it off as an office space. Definitely. French doors or double pocket doors would be wonderful. Why? Because the majority of your floorplan is wide open ... and a smaller, closed-off space is a good compliment to that wide open plan. The smaller, closed-off space gives you a spot for someone to escape the noise of TV, children, cooking ... or it gives a person a spot to go and be noisy; that is, to practice a musical instrument or watch the game alone. For most families, a large open space paired with a smaller private space is a good balance. -great room fireplace along wall, or double-sided fireplace between great room and patio area I like the fireplace where it is now. If I understand where North is, this means the fireplace would be largely facing North ... so that's not a prime window wall (though I'd still want small transom windows above built-ins flanking the fireplace). Before you decide on a double-sided fireplace, check the incredibly high price. -main floor bathroom is super small but do I really need bigger? The main floor bathroom is wonky as well as small. At the same time, the pantry is poorly located (imagine entering the house through the garage, walking the length of the kitchen, then turning and walking the same path again ... that's your garage-to-pantry route). I'd flip-flop the pantry and the half bath ... but open the half bath into the mud room /laundry room. Visualize yourself walking into these bathrooms. Is your path clear? (Not in the half bath ... you're squeezing by the sink to reach the toilet.) Do you have storage? Space for a hamper? Does the door swing work? Do you have a space to hang towels? Is it weird that it's so close to the dining area? It's less than ideal. None of your bathrooms work. You don't have a good understanding of the proper scale of bathroom fixtures and circulation. You have enough space in the master ... but with things arranged like this, you're giving up unnecessary space to walking area. Consider a more compact floorplan that places everything neatly against the two walls and allows one nice walking aisle down the middle ... you can also have a door into the closet (though I'd widen the closet so it could have hanging space on both sides ... double your storage space with only 2' more width). This is a very large shower; you could cut this down and add a 2' linen closet. (I have a skimpy little 2' linen closet, and it's enough.) The secondary upstairs bath doesn't work because it just isn't wide enough. A builder basic tub will be 30" wide, and you don't have that width on either side. You could do a simple three-piece straight-line bathroom ... but you'd have to have a very small vanity to fit it in. On the subject of vanities, there's no point in double sinks in kids' bathrooms ... no point in adult bathrooms either, but REALLY no point in kids' bathrooms ... and when you go with duplicate sinks, you don't have room for drawer storage at the sink. Storage trumps repetitive sinks every time. Realistically, if you want this to be a comfortable bath, you need a bit more space. Be careful, too, about placing a bathroom against the master bedroom ... you don't want to listen to toilets flushing. As far as your lot, you will get all the headlights shining right at your house. This won't bother the garage, and it won't be a huge deal in the office ... and since the kids' rooms are on the second floor, the lights will be below their window level. Please be sure to understand where the house will receive sunlight so that the more active places in the house get the most sunlight. Yes, as it's drawn now -- if I understand correctly where North is -- the nicest sunlight from the South is going to the garage. This is not something to underestimate. This is a step in the right direction. Things still to consider: - Your first kitchen was quite small, making me think you don't cook much ... this kitchen is much larger. This makes me think you're just drawing things in without a lot of thought as to what you really need /want. If you want your house to work out optimally, you must examine function in every space. - The mudroom /laundry needs to be wider. - Consider that you need to vent your dryer to the outside ... this is easiest /most fire-safe if the dryer is on an exterior wall. Where the dryer is placed now, cleaning the dryer vent will be a real issue. - You'll still have to carry groceries the length of the kitchen ... I'd try to open the pantry to BOTH the kitchen and the garage ... you know, a cut-through pantry. - Try to get a window into this mudroom /laundry room ... a bit of natural light will make a difference. - Since this room's door will likely stay open most of the time, this is an ideal spot for a pocket door. - I like the bump-out dining room, but consider that once you place a table in this space, you won't be able to easily use the only door to the back yard. You'd be better off to place the backyard door in the living room ... and if it were a slider, you wouldn't need to concern yourself with the door's swing. - A half bath cannot be 3.5' wide. Literally cannot per code and per common sense; a toilet tends to be 30" deep, and I think you're required by code to have 2' in front of a toilet ... and you should never go minimal on a bathroom.
...See More
first draft on floor plan...experts plz weigh in!
Q
Comments (82)
I like staring out windows, too, but I do find I do it more when I'm doing things I dislike, like washing dishes. I've got bird feeders 6 feet outside my kitchen window, Chickadees, gold finches, nuthatches, cardinals, it's great! My dining room table is next to the glass sliders with the same view of the feeders but if we are sitting there it's only for holiday dinners and we are talking with our guests, etc. I suppose if one uses the dining table all the time it might make a difference. (DH likes his meals in his recliner in front of the TV,) In the house we're building the dining table isn't near any windows, there really isn't any place to put it unless I replace the island with it. It would make a good farm table but I need that counter space! Now I suppose I could take my life into my hands and post that portion of my floor plan for suggestions? Pretty sure I've tried every combination possible though.
...See More
ahess6488
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Well for a first-timer I'm off to a not so great start! The scan I'd made and posted is not showing the load-bearing walls between kitchen and dining room - sorry about that. Below is a scan with these walls marked. Not infeasible to remove them but unsure what budget implications that would have.

AS to your other comments which are valid definitely..don't care so much about uppers and like the continuous counter look. I'm troubled (well, that's an overstatement so "challenged" by the back yard access currently going through a patio door to screened in porch. So framing a range at the current window doesn't exactly offer glorious views or anything.
swspitfire
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sorry I am not clear on the load bearing walls having an effect on moving the doorway into the LR/DR. In your link to an alternate plan you have moved the doorway.
Perhaps it is just the small closet across from the stairs that cannot have the opening changed? (in current plan opens to the LR)
Also the door to the front hallway, does that need to stay?
Since you have the stairs starting in the kitchen (I think) perhaps you can omit the door and still leave the doorway. Do you think that this door is needed?
I am not familiar with the staircase drawings. Is there 2 sets of stairs, one going up near the entrance and the other going down from the kitchen? So the floor in the kitchen is not completely level but has some stairs?
swspitfire
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi
After looking more closely at the current kitchen pics, I think I can see there is a doorway to the stairs next to the fridge.
Moving the DR door should still be an option-no?
ahess6488
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi, to answer a couple of your questions:

1. Yes the LR/DR entrance could be moved up to the opposite side (i.e. closer to the front door) so that you'd enter the dining space top-left. I had it there at one point and that might help with flow. What do you think about ditching the penninsula for an island instead? This was another option at one point but I just felt that wide open, given the age and look of the house, would feel a bit like a clash.

2. Yes, there's a door leading down to the basement and a staircase to the upstairs above it. I doubt that moving basement access (ex. move the basement door to where the small pantry is) would do much to help so it's pretty much fixed where it is. A door to close this off isn't a necessity but there are 3 steps down to a landing and an exterior door, so it helps keep the cold isolated.

3. No, door to the front hallway can definitely go! It's an old house with a ton of doors :)
swspitfire
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
bumping -in hopes of more comments
swspitfire
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
bumping -in hope of the experts
swspitfire
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hopefully the experts will add some opinions soon- everyone must have had a busy- hopefully great weekend!
I am not sure about an island in your space. It is hard to visualize.
Do you think your lifestyle would be better with an open DR to the kitchen? That answer could lead you the in the right direction....
Have you read the "Read Me If You're New To GW Kitchens!" thread? It is FULL of excellent information. The sweeby test is a must.
bmorepanic
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Not one of the experts but...

The ref and dw doors can collide.

Roll out shelves are drawers that take more work to use.

If you haven't considered it, check the radiator piping in the basement for the section of wall you'd like to remove.
Maybe punch into the wall of closer living room closet for an inset wall cabinet.

Maybe see if radiator behind the closet can move, be resized or be removed so that closet can become pantry.

The range is in a kinda dangerous location - not for you every day, but if you have company over while you're using it, a hot pot can spit or boil over and hurt someone. A raised bar really isn't any safer. With only a one foot overhang, there's also the chance that someone young will reach out a hand and be badly burned. I don't know about you, but I have better things to worry about when I have company.

Potential remedies are to move the range much closer to the closet - within 9 inches or so and put one foot deep cabinets on the dining room side about 39-42" long, so no one can sit behind the range or move the range off the peninsula.

Maybe also try drawing the sink and range reversed. Ideally (for me anyway) the range where the ref is, the sink where the range is and the ref beside the plumbing bump out. You could shorten the sink run a tiny bit.

You can try taking the hall door off the hinges and see if you like it better.
Buehl
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Could you please provide us with more detailed measurements? See the letters A - L below.

On the left near the stairs, is that a set of stairs w/a landing in the kitchen w/door and walls around it?

Right now, the island/peninsula is disconnected from the rest of the kitchen...not a good location for your Cooking Zone. If a zone is separated, it should be the Cleanup Zone...but only if you have an additional water source in the Prep Zone. I actually like to separate the Cleanup Zone from the Prep & Cooking Zones...but again, only if there's that add'l water source I mentioned.

The other problem with that location for the Cooking Zone is that it's right in the middle of the main traffic in/through the Kitchen...far from perfect. The Cooking Zone should be the most protected zone (and the range/cooktop along with it).

++++++++

Off topic...Not an expert Bmorepanic???? You certainly are! You're great at thinking outside the box & coming up w/innovative designs.
swspitfire
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
hi ahess6488
How are plans coming along?
ahess6488
Original Author
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Agreed on all fronts that the cooking zone should move to accommodate a U-shaped kitchen - placing entrance into the DR on the opposite end of the kitchen to where it is now.

A quick mention about those two closets - they aren't there now, and are drawn in in as ideas only. So maybe I could turn the closet nearest the kitchen 90 degrees clockwise to create a pantry.

Bmorepanic - Thanks for your ideas. a counter-height built-in for a few wine bottles is something that could be built into the cabinetry between DR and LR. Your appliance suggestion might work well also - hard to envision the fridge fitting between window and the bump-out.

Buehl - See below, I didn't pull these off of AutoCad but re-measured myself, sorry if it's a bit hard to read.

Yes, there is a door leading down to the basement that also has a door to the outside driveway (not mine but my neighbours driveway):

Comments on my draft floorplan?

Comments (13)

swspitfire

remodelfla

Related Discussions

ahess6488
Original Author

swspitfire

swspitfire

ahess6488
Original Author

swspitfire

swspitfire

swspitfire

bmorepanic

Buehl

swspitfire

ahess6488
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Comments on my draft floorplan?

Comments (13)

Related Discussions

ahess6488Original Author

ahess6488Original Author

ahess6488Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

ahess6488
Original Author

ahess6488
Original Author

ahess6488
Original Author